Load-gate positioning arrangement



May 25, 1965 F. M. HESS ETAL 3,185,111

LOAD-GATE POSITIONING ARRANGEMENT Filed April 18, 1963 7 Sheets-Sheet 1INVENTORS FRANC\S M. HESS CORNELUJS ARENTZE BY ILUAM R. HAVER y 25, 1965F. M. HESS ETAL 3,185,111

LOAD-GATE POSITIONING ARRANGEMENT Filed April 18, 1963 7 Sheets-Sheet 2fl g 2 a INVENTORS FRANC\$ M. HESS CORNEJJUS ARENTZE May 25, 1965 F. M.HESS ETAL 3,135,111

. LOAD-GATE POSITIONING ARRANGEMENT Filed April 18, 1963 7 Sheets-Sheet4 INVENTORS FRANC\$ M. HESS CORNEUUS ARENTZ E BY. W\\ \AN\ R. SHAVER CQPWe.

May 25, 1965 F. M. HESS ETAL 3,185,111

LOAD-GATE POSITIONING ARRANGEMENT Filed April 18, 1963 7 Sheets-Sheet 5INVENTORS FRANCJS M. Hess CORNELIUS ARENTZE BY WILUAM SHAVER.

R PE P5 May 25, 1965 F. M. HESS ET AL 3,185,111

LOAD-GATE POSITIONING ARRANGEMENT Filed April 18, 1965 7 Sheets-Sheet 6INVENTORS FRANC\$ M. HESS C ORNELJUS ARENTZE BY W\\ \AM R. SHAVER.

E L-F5- May 25, 1965 F. M. HESS ETAL 3,135,111

7 LOAD-GATE POSITIONING ARRANGEMENT Filed April 18, 1963 7 Sheets-Sheet7 \o I I N 0 ED H 1 w l I \i L (D i r l l '1 l H O S INVENTORS FRANms M.HESS Y CORNEUUS ARENTZE BY W\\.\..\AM .SHAVER u" Quiz 5?, 'FZH' L UnitedStates Patent LOAD-GATE POSITIONING ARRANGEMENT Francis M. Hess,Pinellas Park, Fla., Cornelius Arentze,

Chicago, 111., and William R. Shaver, Munster, Ind.,

assignors to Pullman Incorporated, Chicago, 111., a

corporation of Delaware Filed Apr. 18, 1963, Ser. No. 274,038 6 Claims.(Cl. 105-376) The present invention relates to load dividing means forvehicles and more particularly to load dividing arrangement including agate movable to selected positions lengthwise of the car and to a storedposition adjacent the side wall of the car.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a loaddividing arrangement including a gate lmovably suspended from a trackwayextending lengthwise of the car for moving the gate into a selectedposition and wherein there is also included a trackway extendingtransversely of the car and intersecting the length .wise extendingtraclcway so that the gate may be moved to a stored position adjacentthe side wall of the car.

It is a further object taken in conjunction with the immediatelyforegoing object to provide a transfer arrangement at the intersectionof the lengthwise and transversely extending track-ways to facil tatethe transfer of the gate between the lengthwise and transverse extendingtrackways.

Further objects and features will hereinafter appear.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view in elevation of a ra lroad car embodyingthe load dividing arrangement of the present invention.

:FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the encircled portion offigure showing in particular the gate suspension means and the transferarrangement of the trackway.

FIG. 3 is a sectional View taken lines 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken lines 4-4 of FIG. 3.

FIGS. 5A, 5B and 5C taken together are a sectional view takensubstantially along the lines 5-5 of FIG. 1.

FIGS. 6A, 6B and 6C taken together are a sectional view takensubstantially along the lines 6-6 of FIGS. 5A, 5B and 5C.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary plan view of the underside of the roof of thecar showing in particular the traclcway arrangement. 7

FIG. 8 is a section view taken substantially along the lines 8-8 of FIG.7.

FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken generally along the lines 9-9 of FIG.2.

Referring now' to the figures, the load dividing arrangement 10 of thepresent invention is shown embodied in a railway car 11 of more or lessconventional structure including side walls 12, roof 1'3 and a floor 14.In the form shown, the load dividing arrangement 10 includes generally,a gate 16 suspended by means of a carriage 17 for movement on a trackwaysystem 18 fixed adjacent to the roof of the car 11.

The gate 16 is preferably formed as a rigid structure including sidechannels 19, a top channel 21 and a bottom channel 22. Fixed to thechannels 19, 21, and 22 along the edges there-of lare tace plates 23. Asshown, the gate 16 is arranged to extend the full width of the generallyalong the generally along the car 11, but it is to be understood that apair of gates ice 7 and 8 includes a traclcway 24 extending the fulllength of the car and transversely extending trackways 26 connected attheir inner ends to the longitudinally extending trackway 24 andterminating adjacent the sides 12 of the car [11. The trackways 24 and06-26 may each be formed from channel members of substantiallyO-sections and are suitably fastened to the ceiling of the car 11 alongthe upper ceiling braces 27 as by brackets 28. The channels are securedsuch that the open ends thereof face downwardly and the inwardlyprojecting flanges 29 are disposed horizontally and provide a tracksurface 31.

The transversely extending trackways 26-26 on the opposite sides of thelengthwise extending traclrway are in lateral alignment and fixed attheir inner ends about a cut-out in the lengthwise extending traclcwayso that the trackway surfaces 31 on each are in substantial horizontalalignment. iIn this manner the transverse track- .ways 26-26 are each incommunication with the lengthwise extending track-way 24 so as tofacilitate the movement of the gate to a stored position adjacent eitherone of the side walls 12 as more fully to be explained hereinafter. Asshown, there are two sets of transversely 7 extending trachways 26-26,the sets being spaced length- Wise of each others distance at leastgreater than one half the width of the gate so that two gates may bestored adjacent the same side wall in side-by-side relationship.Preferably, the transversely extending trackways 26-26 are located oneither side of the doorways of the car so that when the gate is in itsstored position the door opening is not restricted. The tnackways 26-26at their outer ends are each secured as by welding to upper keeps 32-32extending lengthwise of the car adjacent the side walls 12. The upperkeepers 32-32 form part of a latching arrangement for maintaining thegate '16 selectively positioned as more fully tosbe explainedhereinafter.

Fixed at each of the intersections 33 of the longitudinally andtransversely extending trackways 24 and 26-26 is a gate transfer means34 which serves to permit transfor of the gate 16 between the trackways26 and 24-24. As shown in FIGS. 2, 8 and 9 the transfer means 34 eachinclude (a vertical post of which the upp'er end is formed on the upperface. The transfer table 37 isd sposed below the traclcway flanges andarranged so that the transfer wheels 39 of the gate carriage 17 arereceived and supported with the groove 38.

The carriage '17 includes 'a U-shaped bracket having 7 upstanding legs42-42 to ends of which there is flxed as by welding the horizontalflanges 43-43 of angle irons 44-44 which support the carriage andtransfer wheel assemblies 46-46. The vertical flanges 47-47 of the angleirons 44-44 are spaced from each other to permit the transfer post topass therebetween.

table. The transfer wheels 39 are spaced so as to be disposed within andclear of the inner edges of the track- 7 way flanges 29. As shown thetransfer wheels 39-39 and carriage wheels 49-49 are formed integral witheach other, but it is to be understood that they may be separate units.The transfer wheels 39-39 and carriage wheels necessary to describe oneherein.

49-49- are retained on theshaft by means of a washer 51 and cotter pin52. A spacer 53ris disposed between the transfer wheels 3939 and the.transfer wheel 39 to maintain the latter located on the shaft 48. Thetransfer wheels 39 extend through slots 54 formed-in the horizontalflanges'43' of the angle members 44 so that the rims thereofare ridable'within the grooves 38 of the transfer a table '37-. a v

suspending the gate 16 from the carriage 17 for movement on the trackwayarrangement 18 is a hanger bolt-56 of which the'lower endis threadedinto a hanger block 57 fixedbetween the upright flanges 58 of the topchannel 21 of the gate 16. To prevent relative turningof the hanger bolt56in the hanger block 57 there .is inserted a pin 59-.v At its upper endthe bolt is slidably supported forlimited vertical movement-in anopening. 61 in the U-shaped bracket 41 so that during movement of thegate-l6 the head 62 of the. hanger bolt 56 engages the topface of thebracket 41 so that the gate 16 is suspended therefrom and when the gateis latched in a selected position the head 62 is spaced above andout ofengage- .ment with the bracket 41 as more fully to be explainedhereinafter.-

Fixed to the underside of thebracket 41 is a plate 63-from the ends ofwhich there are fixed a pair of down-- wardly depending stop rods 6464which project. into the channel 21. The stop rods 64-.-64 in this mannerpermit limited turning of the hanger boltw56 and thereby the, gate 16fixed thereto relative to. the carriage 17.

Extending alongthe ceiling andfloor'of the car adjacent the side wallsare keepers 32-32 and .66-66 which are arrangedno co-act with latching.spuds 67-67' and 68"68 disposed along the sides of the gate 16 adjacentthetop and bottom thereof; The upper keeper bars 32-32 may each beformed in sections divided by. the transversely extending trackwaystowhich the ends of the: sections may be fixed as by welding. Furthersupporting; the keeper on the ceilingare-aplurality of length-- wisespaced brackets 69. The keepers '32.32 may each be formed from a channelof O-section asshownand the lower flanges 71 are provided withaplurality of lengthwise spaced openings 72 adaptedto receivetheupperlockreceivingthelower spuds '68 of the. gatelatchin-g. mechanism70. The openings 77 'in therlower keepersr-66.are arranged to be alignedwith respective onesof the openings 72 of the upper keepers 32 sothatthe. gate 16is maintained in a substantially vertical plane-when locked.

The latching mechanisms 70 along eachside. of. the door are each ofsimilar constructionsuch 'thatit is only B and C and'6A, B and C; thelatching mechanism 70 includes the upper and lower spuds 67 and 68respectively. ing rod 78 having a slotted upper end 83 which is disposedbetween the clevis arms 81 of the upper spud 67. Fastening the rod 78tothe spud 67 is a pin 82 fixed to. the clevis arms and extending throughthe slot 83 so that the rod 78 andspud 671' are movable lengthwiserelatively to each other a limited distance. Abiasing spring 84isdisposed between a stopdisc 86-fixed to the rod'and the lower end of thespud 67 to normally urge the upper spud 67 upwardlyv relative to therod78.

At its lower end the actuating rod 78 is turnably con-' nectedto a crankarm 87 of a crank lever member 88 locatedtin an actuating handle recess89. formed in the side channel 19. The crank lever member 88 is jourAs-shown in FIGS. A,

Associated'with the upper spud 67is' .an-actuat-.

the pin 91 is a handle 93.. The lower end of the upper actuating rod 78is connected to the crank arm 87 by means of a pin 90 fixed to the lowerend of rod 78 and projecting into journal openings 94-94a formed in thecrank arm 87 and handle 93.

The other crank arm 96 is connected to the upper end of a lower spudactuating rod 97 by means of a pin fixed thereto and extendingthroughopenings '99-99a formed in the crank arm 96 and handle 93.. Thelower end of the actuating rod 97 is disposed between the clevis arms100 formed on the upper end of the lower spud 68 and fastened thereto bya pin 101.

The upper and lower locking spuds 67 and 68 may each be formed with aportion of the length 102 thereof formed of rectangular section which isdisposed within a guiding arrangement 103 defining a complementaryrectangular opening 104 disposed along the topand bottom of the gate. Inthis manner the spuds are freely guided for vertical movement within theguide arrangements and at the same time prevent relative turning ortwisting between the gate and the spuds The ends of the spuds 67 and 68are each formed of circular section 105 sized so as to be snuglyreceived within the keeper openings 72 land 77. To facilitate the entryof the spuds in the openings the ends 106 may be tapered;

In the latched or locked position of the latching means 70, thecomponents thereof are in the position shown in FIGS. 5A, B and C andFIGS. 6A, B and C. In this position the handle 93 is in a substantiallyupright position-such that pins 90 and 98 connecting the handle 93 tocrank arms 87 and 96 and to the upper and lower spud actuating rods 78and 97 are also disposed in a substantially vertical plane. In thisposition the upper and lower locking spuds 67 and 68 are projectedoutwardly of the guiding arrangement 103 andthe heads 105 are receivedwithin the respective upper and lower keeper openings 72 .and 77 asshown. In this position the shoulders 107 of the upper and lower spuds67 and 68 abut the respective horizontal webs 71 and 76 0f the keepers.The length of the lower spud actuating rod 78 is selected such thatthegate .16 is elevated. when the lower spud shoulder 10! abuts the keeper.In this manner the lower spud 68 and the actuating rod connected to thecrankarm and pin are operative to elevate the gate 16so that the latteris not supported by the suspension stud inthe locked position.

To release the gate from its locked positionthe handles 93 are turnedclockwise as shown in FIG. 5B. In this connection it is to be noted thatthe handle 93 may include a safety latch for retaining it in the lockedposition shown. The safety latch includes ,a sleeve 108 disposed overthe endv of the handle 93. The sleeve 108 may be contoured to provide aconvenient grip. Axially aligned o'penings 109 and 111 in the top of thesleeve grip and the top of the handle bar, receive a guide pin. 112about which there is disposed a biasing spring 113 which urges thesleeve grip 108 outwardly of the end of handle 93. Limiting the outwardmovement is a pin 114'fixed to the grip sleeve 108 and extending throughan'elongated opening 116 in the handle 93. In the locked'position thesleeve grip 108'is'biased upwardly and the upper end thereof is disposedwithin an opening 117 formed in theweb 118 of the handle recess definingmember 92; Thus, in order to turn the handle 93 clockwise, the sleevegrip 108 must first be depressed downwardly on the handle 93 against theforce of the biasing spring 113 to the phantom line position shown inFIG; 6B and thereby to be freely movable outwardly of the recess-117. V7

As the handle 93' is moved clockwise or outwardly the spuds 67 and 68are retracted out of'seating engagement with the respective keeperopenings 72 and 77. I

At the same timethe gate 16'is lowered from its elevated positionsuchthat the head 62 'of the suspensionbolt 56-fixed thereto engages theU-bracket 41 of the carriage assembly 17 so that the gate 16 issuspended therefrom.

The gate 16 thus suspended may then be positioned lengthwise of the carby moving the carriage along the lengthwise extending trackway 24. Whenthe carriage is located at one of the transfer means 34 as shown forexample in FIG. 2, the carriage wheels 49 no longer engage thehorizontal track flanges 31, but the transfer wheels 39 engage withinthe track grooves 38 of the transfer table 37 so as to maintain the gate16 movably suspended on the latter.

Should it be desired to continue movement along the lengthwise extendingtrackway 24 past the transfer means 34, the gate is merely moved in thesame direction until the desired location is reached, whereupon thehandle 93 is pushed upwardly and inwardly thereby turning the cranklever 88 therewith such that the pins 9% and 9% connecting the upper andlower spud actuating rods 78 and 97 are operative to seat the spuds 67and 63 in the keeper openings 72 and 77 and thereby retain the gate 1'6latched.

Should, however, it be desired to store the gate 16 adjacent the sidewall 12 when the transfer wheels 39 are in engagement with the transfertable 37 the carriage wheels 4h are clear of the trackway flanges sothat the carriage is free to be turned. Turning of the carriage isaccomplished by turning of the gate 16 about the hanger bolt 55whereupon after limited turning the downwardly depending stop rods fixedto the carriage bracket .1 are engaged by upstanding flanges of the topgate channel 21 so that the carriage is also turned until the carriagewheels are aligned with the trackway flanges 351 of the transverseextending trackways 26-46 as shown in phantom in FIG. 2. Thereafter thegate 16 is pushed toward the side Wall 12 adjacent which it is desiredto be stored and the carriage wheels engage the trackway surfaces 31 ofthe transversely extending trackway 2d so that the carriage is rollabletherealong. When the gate is positioned adjacent the side wall thelatching means may again be engaged as heretofore described.

What is claimed is:

1. A trackway system and gate suspension arrangement for guiding andsuspending a load dividing gate within a railway car, said trackwaycomprising a longitudinally extending track means, a transverselyextending track means intersecting said longitudinally extending trackmeans, a transfer table immovably mounted at said intersection of saidlongitudinal and transverse track means, said gate suspension meansincluding a carriage JOVabiG along said track means and turnable on saidtransfer table so that said gate suspension means may be shifted formovement along either said longitudinal or transverse track means.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said transfer table isdisposed in vertical spaced relationship to said transverse andlongitudinal track means, and wherein said carriage means includes firstmeans movable along said transverse and longitudinal track means andsecond means movable on said transfer table, said first means beingdisengaged from the transverse and longitudinal track means when saidsecond means are movable on said transfer table.

3. A traclcway and gate suspension arrangement for guiding andsuspending a load dividing gate within a railway car, said trackwaycomprising a longitudinally extending track means, transverselyextending track means intersecting said longitudinally extending trackmeans, said track means each being formed to provide laterally spacedtrack ianges, a transfer table immovably mounted at said intersection ofsaid longitudinal and transverse track means and vertically spaced fromsaid track flanges, said gate suspension means including a carriagehaving wheeled means movable along said track means and turnable on saidtransfer table so that said suspension means may be shifted for movementalong either said longitudinal or transverse track means.

4. The invention as defined in claim 3 wherein said Wheeled means onsaid carriage comprise a first pair of wheels rollable on said trackflanges and a second pair of wheels turnab-le on said transfer table.

5. The invention as defined in claim 4 wherein said pair of wheelsrollable on said track flanges is of lesser diameter than said pair ofwheels turnable on said transfer table.

6. The invention as defined in claim 5 wherein said transfer table issupported on a post, and said pairs of wheels are mounted on a bracketconstructed so that said wheels of each pair pass on diametricallyopposite sides of said post when disposed on said transfer table.

References @ited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 558,148 4/96Borland et a1. 10499 2,360,029 10/44 Wieden 105376 X ARTHUR L. LA POINT,Primary Examiner.

1. A TRACKWAY SYSTEM AND GATE SUSPENSION ARRANGEMENT FOR GUIDING ANDSUSPENDING A LOAD DIVIDING GATE WITHIN A RAILWAY CAR, SAID TRACKWAYCOMPRISING A LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING TRACK MEANS, A TRANSVERSELYEXTENDING TRACK MEANS INTERSECTING SAID LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING TRACKMEANS, A TRANSFER TABLE IMMOVABLY MOUNTED AT SAID INTERSECTION OF SAIDLONGITUDINAL AND TRANSVERSE TRACK MEANS, SAID GATE SUSPENSION MEANSINCLUDING A CARRIAGE MOVABLE ALONG SAID TRACK MEANS AND TURNABLE ON SAIDTRANSFER TABLE SO THAT SAID GATE SUSPENSION MEANS MAY BE SHIFTED FORMOVEMENT ALONG EITHER SAID LONGITUDINAL OF TRANSVERSE TRACK MEANS.